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JudyMartha
Noob Poster
Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 1
Mon Jun 25, 2007 6:43 am
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 Ancient Art Forms of Kerala
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A Kerala Tourism offers all that a tourist can possibly ask for. Thol paava koothu is an ancient form of puppet show in Kerala Temples. This show is conducted as a ritual in the Bhagavathy temples of Malabar for centuries. This play with shadows reminds one of the old black and white films. Stories from Hindu Epic like Ramayana are played in this.
A white cloth about 20 feet long is fixed tightly without wrinkles as the screen. Below this a black cloth about 40 feet is also fitted tightly. An areca nut tree log is fixed horizontally in the required height behind the white screen. Depressions are made in this log where coconut broken pieces with oil and cloth wicks are kept ready to be lightened.
The artist offers prayers to God and lights the lamps behind the screen. The artist who is an experienced master sings the story in the show with drum beats. He moves the leather made puppets in the required action and the shadow in the screen moves like performing artists.
Though this was confined to temples and epics, efforts are on to show modern episodes and stories of great men. There are puppet shows similar to this thol paava koothu in Czechoslovakia, Sicily and Japan. Probably there may be differences but they are contemporaries.
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